Carvio
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Licence and the free trial #

Carvio is a one-time purchase: one licence covers every release of the major version it names (every 1.x release, say) on up to the machines it names, two with the standard licence. Until a licence is entered, Carvio runs as the free trial: everything in design mode works and the example projects open, but nothing can be saved and no job can be sent to a machine.

Help > Licence... opens the Licence dialog, where you sign in to carviocnc.com, load a licence file, see what the licence covers, and move the licence to another machine.

A licence is bound to the machines it is used on. Each computer has a machine code, and carviocnc.com issues a licence file for that code, counting it as one of the licence's seats. Signing in from Carvio does this for you; without an internet connection in the shop, the code can be entered on the account page from any device, and the file carried over. Deactivating a machine in Carvio frees its seat again, online or with a receipt file; only the machine itself can do that.

The free trial #

The free trial is Carvio without a licence. It is not limited in time. It opens only the example projects that come with Carvio (File > Open Example), and in them, or in a new project, everything in design mode works: drawing, importing vectors and images, 3D modeling, every toolpath, the toolpath preview and the 3D simulation, the setup sheets on screen, the Tool Database and the Help.

What the trial cannot do, and a licence switches on:

  • Save: projects (Save, Save As...), toolpaths as G-code, vectors, components, images, clipart, sheets as PDF, saved jobs, tool and post processor exports, controller settings. The one file the trial may save is the manual as a PDF.
  • Run the machine: a job cannot be sent to the controller (jogging, homing and the console still work, so a machine can be set up and tested).
  • Print the setup sheets.
  • Open projects other than the example projects.

When the trial tries one of these, the Licence dialog opens and says what needs a licence. Close it with Continue trial to go on designing.

Tip: The example projects' notes say which tools and feeds they use; they are examples and need changing for your own machine and material.

File > Open Example lists the example projects in the examples folder next to Carvio (the same files are free in the store at carviocnc.com): a sign with a moulded edge and V-carved lettering, a dish with a 3D carving, and more. They open in the trial and in a licensed Carvio alike, and are a good first look at what each toolpath does. The Licence dialog lists them as buttons too.

An example asks about unsaved changes first, like Open.... An opened example can be changed freely; saving the changes needs a licence like any other project.

Help > Licence... shows whether Carvio is licensed or in the free trial, and has three ways in: signing in, a key, a file. The dialog opens by itself when Carvio starts in the trial, and whenever the trial tries something that needs a licence.

Licensed to #

With a licence in place, the dialog names the licensee, the licence id, the Carvio version it covers, the number of machines, and the machine code this copy is bound to. The licence is kept in Carvio's settings folder as licence.carviolicense and is checked by Carvio itself, without any connection: the licence is a small file signed by carviocnc.com, and Carvio holds only the key that verifies the signature.

Deactivating this machine #

Deactivating moves the licence off this computer so another one can take its seat. A seat is freed only by the copy of Carvio that held it (online, or with its receipt file), never from the account page: that way a free seat is always a computer that really stopped. The licence itself stays valid; activate this computer again any time a seat is free. A computer that can no longer run Carvio at all (dead, stolen) is released by support with the licence id.

Deactivate online #

Deactivate online takes the licence off this computer, tells carviocnc.com, and the seat is free at once; Carvio is the free trial again. Should the site be unreachable, the licence is still off, and Carvio keeps the receipt in its settings folder and names it, so the seat can be freed by uploading it later.

Deactivate offline #

Deactivate offline... is for a computer with no internet connection. Carvio asks where to save a small deactivation receipt (Carvio-<licence>-<machine code>.carviodeactivation), writes it, and goes back to the free trial. Upload the receipt at carviocnc.com/licence/deactivate, from any device, and the seat is free for the next machine; the receipt proves that this copy was removed.

Remove licence #

For a licence that is not bound to a machine (one issued by hand for a special case), Remove licence takes it off this computer and puts Carvio back in the free trial. Nothing needs telling to the site; enter it again any time.

Free trial #

Without a licence the dialog says so and explains what the trial can do; see The free trial.

Example projects #

The example projects, one button each; see Open Example.

Machine code #

The code of this computer, XXXX-XXXX-XXXX, that a licence is bound to. It is a fingerprint of the system's own machine identifier (Carvio never sends the identifier itself) and stays the same when the computer is renamed or another user signs in; reinstalling the operating system gives a new one, so deactivate first.

To activate without an internet connection here: note the code (or Copy it), sign in at carviocnc.com/licence on a phone or any other computer, enter the code under Activate a machine, and download the licence file it gives you. Carry it over and use Load licence file..., or drop it on the Carvio window. A licence file made for another code is refused with both codes shown.

Copy #

Copy puts the machine code on the clipboard.

Sign in to carviocnc.com #

Signing in with your carviocnc.com account activates this machine and fetches its licence file, with nothing to copy. Type the account's email address and password and click Sign in (or press Enter). Carvio sends them with this machine's code over a secure connection, keeps the licence it gets back and forgets the password. Sign in needs an internet connection this once; afterwards the licence works offline.

If the account holds several licences, the one covering the highest Carvio version this Carvio can use is taken. When every seat of the licence is already in use, Carvio says which machines hold them: deactivate one on the account page, or with its receipt, and sign in again.

Email #

The email address of your carviocnc.com account (the one your licence was sent to).

Password #

Your carviocnc.com password. It is sent to carviocnc.com once, over a secure connection, and is not kept.

Buy a licence #

Buy a licence... opens the pricing page at carviocnc.com in your browser. After buying, the licence is on your account page: sign in here, or activate this machine's code there and load the file.

Or enter the licence key #

Without an internet connection, the licence file made for this machine on your account page can be loaded here, or its key text pasted.

Licence key #

Paste the key text of a licence file (the long CARVIO1- line inside it, or a key issued by hand). Copy and paste it rather than typing; spaces, hyphens and letter case do not matter.

Apply key #

Apply key checks the key's signature and, when it is a Carvio licence covering this version and this machine, keeps it and switches everything on. A key that was altered, is incomplete, covers an older major version or is bound to another machine is refused with the reason.

Load licence file #

Load licence file... opens the .carviolicense file downloaded from your account page for this machine's code. Dropping the file on the Carvio window does the same.

Lost licence #

Lost licence... opens the page at carviocnc.com that sends your licences again to the email address they were bought with.

Continue trial and Close #

Continue trial (or Close, once licensed) closes the dialog.